My unforgettable Horse experience

Devin Schmit / Hungry Horse News

For the past five weeks, I've held the title of intern at the Hungry Horse News. As a Columbia Falls grad studying at the University of Montana, working for the Horse seemed like a natural fit. During my tenure I wasn't the stereotypical go-fer, making coffee runs and sending faxes. My experience was very different.

Though I didn't get a paycheck (most other journalism internships are unpaid), the rewards came with the freedom I was given to contribute to every aspect of this paper — from taking photos to writing articles to designing pages to writing this piece, my first column.

The most repetitive office work I did was scan Hungry Horse News founding editor Mel Ruder's old slides into digital format, a process I found surprisingly fascinating. Looking through his eyes, seeing Glacier National Park as he did, handling the original slides he carefully shot and developed, reminded me of the journalistic commitment I have as a photojournalist.

I also spent time reading through "Glacier at a Gallop," the book Hungry Horse News photographer Chris Peterson assembled a few years ago. Chris said it took him six months just to compile the slides that would publish. Boxes of slides still sit in file cabinets in his office, as well as in the dusty upstairs of the newsroom.

The Hungry Horse News attic is where the Ruders lived when Mel founded the paper. Imagine living in the newsroom. Now that's dedication.

I found out that in the late 1970s Brian Kennedy took the reigns of the paper when he was 23 years old. I turned 23 in September, and I tried to imagine running this publication back then, fulfilling the obligations I've had and then some.

In Kennedy's day there were no computer design programs or digital cameras. The process of developing film, typing out the stories and assembling the paper must have been enormously time-consuming. Not to mention the enormous distraction for a young mountaineer living near the Park. As a backcountry enthusiast myself, I don't know if I could have done it.

During my time here I've been lucky to have some guidance from Chris, learning tips on technical lighting and fixing colors in Adobe PhotoShop. Chris told me that last year he shot a terabyte of photos. For those unfamiliar with computer terminology, a terabyte equals more than 100,000 photos. Pretty amazing for an English major. Once again, I was impressed.

It's probably no secret that Columbia Falls isn't a news hot spot. There were days during my stay when my police scanner wouldn't make a peep, and a drive through town made me wonder where everyone was. That was probably the most challenging aspect of writing for the Horse — finding stories. I continue to be impressed with the capabilities of this editorial staff to keep the wheels turning, ready to rise to the challenge when big news breaks in our small town.

If you asked me why I chose to major in journalism, I wouldn't have a definite answer. I see many of my peers aiming for the stars, seeing themselves as rugged, unshaven, embedded reporters taking photos for National Geographic and winning Pulitzer Prizes. It's an image like being a star athlete or actor — the glory of the dream. In reality, this industry is increasingly thankless. It's a task for those with a strong will and an instinctual obligation to make the truth be known, however painful.

The staffs of local newspapers are, in my opinion, more valuable than those reporting far away. They cover problems that affect us immediately, making us aware in a way that fancy CNN graphics and Web blogs cannot. They represent our homes, our children, our family and friends, and the issues for which we're responsible. The stories and truth will continue on, because that's who we are. I went to Ruder Elementary, I ran track for the Wildcats, and I've climbed peaks in Glacier. This is my quiet hometown.

Last semester I was fortunate enough to hear a speech given by Chris Jones, a prize-winning magazine writer who taught a senior seminar at the University of Montana. Before his speech, the instructor who introduced him recited one of his quotes.

"If you're not a servant of the truth, you're a novelist."

It's a phrase I will never forget.